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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24739192">Thirsty</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObscureReference/pseuds/ObscureReference'>ObscureReference</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Haircuts, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Unresolved Sexual Tension</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:47:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24739192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObscureReference/pseuds/ObscureReference</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Selena and Odin can't stand the heat in Hoshido, so they get haircuts for the summer.</p><p>On an obviously unrelated note, Camilla and Leo are dying.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Camilla/Luna | Selena, Lazward | Laslow/Marx | Xander (Hinted), Leon | Leo/Odin, Leon | Leo/Odin/Zero | Niles (Hinted)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>155</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Thirsty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimium/gifts">Kimium</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Kimium, this is not your birthday fic. However, it is a fic idea I've had for a long time but could not figure out how to write until you gave "reverse pining" as one of your birthday fic prompts, and I managed to write this fic directly because of that. So think of this as a pre-birthday gift fic as thanks, lol</p><p>As for everyone else, I hope you enjoy! Also, I was very sleepy when I wrote this, so please point out any errors you see and I'll fix them immediately. (Also very brief alcohol mention at the end for anyone who dislikes that.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Here’s that tea you ordered, Lady Camilla!” Selena said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster in Hoshido’s stifling heat, setting the tray of cold drinks onto the table. She eyed the condensation dripping down the pitcher enviously. “What else can I do for you?”</p><p>Camilla, normally so strong and tall, had wilted against the table in the time Selena had been gone. Her hair limply framed her face, and the grateful smile she shot Selena was tinged with drowsiness.</p><p>“Thank you, dear,” Camilla sighed. “Would you like some? I told you that you didn’t have to wear all those layers while we’re here. You must be sweating up a storm under that armor.”</p><p>“It’s alright!” Selena said, although she was very, very sweaty under her gloves and basic leathers. She had shed as many layers as she’d been willing to part with that morning, when the sun had been low, but she hadn’t been able to part with her sword or basic protective gear out of habit. Now every inch of her was sticky, and her clothes clung to her skin uncomfortably. “A little weather isn’t going to stop me from protecting you, Lady Camilla. I’m perfectly fine.”</p><p>Camilla chuckled. “So dedicated. But you don’t have to push yourself while we’re here, you know. There are dedicated Hoshidan soldiers standing guard over every inch of this place. Even Beruka has taken to watching over me from the shade today.”</p><p>She gestured to the Hoshidan-style sliding door on the other side of the room. It led into a small garden, and somebody had left the doors open to let a weak breeze roll through. Selena couldn’t see where Beruka was hiding out there, though given Beruka’s assassin skills, that wasn’t unusual.</p><p>She puffed up her chest in pride. Beruka was great and all, but clearly Selena was the better retainer if she could attend to Camilla while withstanding the heat better than Beruka could.</p><p>“I appreciate your concern,” Selena said, “but all I really want to do is take care of you, Lady Camilla.”</p><p>She didn’t know why repeating the truth caused Camilla to look at her from under her eyelashes like that, but it sent goosebumps shivering up her spine all the same.</p><p>“I’m honored.” Camilla took a long sip of the tea Selena had brought her and made a refreshed sound. “But I don’t know what I’d do with myself if you got heatstroke while you were watching over me. Please, have a drink.”</p><p>Selena opened her mouth to reassure Camilla that she was fine, really, her throat was only mostly parched. Before she could actually speak, however, Odin stomped his way into the room in that obnoxious way of his, completely drowning out her reply.</p><p>“Lord Leo!” Odin cried, plopping his own tray onto the table with a flourish so strong that it was surprising he didn’t spill the drinks everywhere. “Two freshly squeezed glasses of tomato juice! Chilled by Flora, as requested!”</p><p>“Odin, <em>please</em>.” Leo sighed and, with some great effort, waved his hand to keep Odin from hovering so close. “Stand back. It’s too hot for your antics today.”</p><p>“I know not what you mean!” Seemingly unaffected by the heat, Odin turned, his cape swinging dramatically behind him. “There are no antics here! I am only doing what feels most natural.”</p><p>“Be natural about five steps further away,” Leo groaned. Odin reluctantly stepped back.</p><p>Looking absolutely miserable, Leo peeled his cheek off the table and reached for one of the glasses. “I appreciate you finding Flora for me. I hope you didn’t have to go hunting all over the castle for her. Especially in this heat…”</p><p>Just the mere mention of the weather made Leo look even more ready to collapse. Camilla cooed at her brother sympathetically.</p><p>“If I may, my lord?” Odin put his hand in front of his face in a gesture he probably thought made him look cool. “Flora merely used her glacial sorcery to create the optimal temperature for your beverage. In truth, <em>I</em> am the one who made your drinks from scratch—bolstering its natural healing properties with my own magic, of course. I’m sure you will your beverage even more refreshing than usual.”</p><p>He sounded very pleased with himself.</p><p>At the mention of Odin being the one to make the drinks, however, Leo gave his glasses a suspicious stare. Odin barely seemed to notice his hesitance, apparently too excited to see Leo try his drink.</p><p>He leaned across the table eagerly. “Does your body no longer crave a refreshing sustenance, my lord?”</p><p>Leo grimaced, and Selena watched on, sure Odin was about to be chewed out.</p><p>Despite clear reservations, Leo took a tentative sip from one of the cups. Apparently it wasn’t made with “the tormented souls of the fallen” or whatever weird spices Selena would have normally expected from Odin’s cooking repertoire, however, because Leo immediately took another, longer sip. Then he all but drained the glass in one go.</p><p>Odin beamed.</p><p>“Thank you, Odin,” Leo said, setting the cup down. A red tomato juice mustache was smeared on his upper lip, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Your effort is noted and appreciated.”</p><p>“Only the best for you, my lord!” Odin said, soaking up the praise.</p><p>Camilla giggled into her tea, and Selena rolled her eyes. Leo sent his sister a sidelong glance, his cheeks flush with more than just heat. Once again, Odin didn’t seem to notice.</p><p>“Anyway,” Selena said loudly, since there was only so long that she could watch those two dance around each other, “what else can I do for you, Lady Camilla?”</p><p>“Oh, yes!” Odin straightened. “What more can I do for you, Lord Leo? Shall I fetch a snack that might complement your dark palate?”</p><p>Feeling somewhat competitive, Selena lifted her chin and said, “Hey, I offered first! Right, Lady Camilla?”</p><p>“Oh, are you that eager to serve today?” Camilla asked sweetly. “How can I deny my darling retainer anything?” She rested her cheek in her palm. “Unfortunately, I don’t have any more orders for you at the moment.”</p><p>Leo waved his hand lazily, sipping at his other glass of tomato juice. “Take the rest of the day off, Odin.”</p><p>Odin frowned. “My lord?”</p><p>“That’s a smart idea,” Camilla said, inclining her head. “You too, Selena.”</p><p>Selena’s shoulders slumped. “But Lady Camilla—”</p><p>“No buts,” Camilla interrupted. “If I can’t get you to cool off while working, then you’re not allowed to work. Please, go relax. Drink some water. Sit in the shade. This is a diplomatic retreat, not a battle zone.”</p><p>There wasn’t much Selena could say to that.</p><p>Over Odin’s protesting, Leo exhaustedly said, “Odin, as much as I’m sure you’d love to watch Camilla and I stare at each other for the next two hours until Xander and Ryoma finish that business of theirs, I’d rather you attend to your own needs for now. If you want to bother someone so much, Niles is probably still around here somewhere.”</p><p>Defeated, Selena and Odin could only nod. Their answers overlapped.</p><p>“Yes, Lady Camilla—”</p><p>“—Understood, Lord Leo.”</p><p>After a clear dismissal, they reluctantly trailed towards to door. Selena opened the exit for Odin and then shut it behind them once they were out in the hall.</p><p>They looked at each other.</p><p>Odin’s shoulders fell as the edges of his persona melted away in the heat. He lifted the edge of his cape to dab at his sweaty forehead, grimacing. There was barely a trace of the enthusiastic man who had been begging to continue serving Leo seconds before.</p><p>“This is the end of Odin Dark,” he said mournfully. “When I perish from exposure, beware, for my spirit will wander these lands for eternity seeking fruitless revenge on this accursed weather.”</p><p>“<em>Ugh</em>,” Selena moaned, just low enough that she hoped Camilla couldn’t hear her through the door. Now that she didn’t have to keep up a front, she felt even sweatier and nastier than before. “Nohr is always so dark and weird, but at least it’s never <em>this</em> hot.”</p><p>“Hoshido is usually quite temperate, I’ve heard,” Odin said. “Its summer is only this dastardly for a few weeks out of the year.”</p><p>“And we were lucky to arrive during the worst of it. Great.”</p><p>Odin grunted in reply.</p><p>Annoyed, Selena pulled a sweaty lock of hair away from her cheek. She usually took pride in her appearance, but her long hair was a nuisance now more than ever.</p><p>In their heat haze, they had both slumped against the wall. Selena rolled her neck and gave Odin an expectant look, ignoring the uncomfortable way the fabric of her pants clung to sweat pooled on the backs of her knees.</p><p>“Do you want to do that thing we talked about?” The heat was making it hard for her to think of the right words. Talking at all was a chore.</p><p>“Yeah,” Odin said. Slowly, he pushed himself away from the wall. “Come on. The razor’s in my room.”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>Somehow, Selena worked up the energy to follow.</p><p>Once they reached the guest room that Ryoma and the others had helpfully provided for Odin, Selena marched over to the window and threw it open to let fresh air flow in. She kept the blinds shut.</p><p>“How did you not have this open already?” she grumbled. She’d kept the window to her own room open all night, although that weird, red ninja guy had accosted her about “unnecessary risks” the next morning. Like Selena wasn’t a trained soldier or something. Pfft.</p><p>Odin grunted, fiddling around in the bedside drawer. “It wasn’t that hot this morning.”</p><p>Selena enviously eyed Odin’s stupid mage outfit. It looked just as ridiculous as ever, but the fact he basically didn't wear a shirt probably kept him a lot cooler than Selena’s practical leathers.</p><p>She shook her head and flopped onto Odin’s futon, which he hadn’t carefully packed away that morning like Selena. Normally she would have been more annoyed at his carelessness, but that was a problem for later.</p><p>“If you mess up my hair, I’ll make sure you end up bald forever,” she said without real heat.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Odin said, plopping down behind her, a pair of scissors and a razor both in hand.</p><p>Apparently it was too hot for him to keep up his Odin Dark act at the moment. Which was convenient, because Selena was too tired to bother deciphering what he meant.</p><p>At Odin’s prompting, she reluctantly sat up and let him untie her pigtails. Her sweaty neck itched when a thick layer of hair fell freely out of its bindings and against her back. She comforted herself with the reminder that it would be better soon.</p><p>“I’ll do yours after,” Selena mumbled. A very faint breeze drifted in through the window. It wasn’t enough.</p><p>She closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the feeling of Odin comb his fingers through her hair with practiced ease. It had been a long time since they’d done this, and it felt better than she remembered.</p><p>“I should hope so,” Odin said.</p><p>They were both quiet after that. The snip of the scissors filled the air between them instead.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Camilla was only dimly aware of the ominous cracking sound the sake cup made in her clenched hand. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Selena, who sat seated further down the table, engrossed in her conversation with Laslow.</p><p>“It’s been a while since you’ve cut it like that, right?” Laslow gestured to his head.</p><p>Selena grabbed the end of her high ponytail and pulled it over her shoulder. She twisted the end of the ponytail around her finger idly. “It’s been a few years, yeah. I just couldn’t take it anymore, you know? With all this heat—blugh.”</p><p>The lack of pigtails would have been shock enough. But the sight of the expertly shaved streak of hair around the sides and back of her head, how much more skin that Camilla could see now compared to before—</p><p>She couldn’t swallow.</p><p>Laslow chuckled. “I just can’t pull of an undercut the way you and Odin can. Have I mentioned how lovely you look yet?”</p><p>Selena wrinkled her nose. “Plenty.”</p><p>Laslow laughed again.</p><p>Camilla’s sake cup made another strained sound.</p><p>Xander laid a subtle hand on her elbow. He leaned close and whispered, “You might want to relax before you get glass in your hand.”</p><p>She couldn’t look at him, but Camilla somehow managed to loosen her grip on the offending object. Xander spared her an amused glance before turning his attention back to Ryoma, who had obviously noticed Camilla’s distraction but was gracefully ignoring her rudeness. Camilla would need to apologize later. If she survived until later.</p><p>“As I was saying,” Ryoma said from somewhere far away, “I’ve been told that reinstating the flow of trade between our kingdoms has been going rather smoothly, all things considered…”</p><p>On the other side of Laslow, Odin laughed. Camilla didn’t have to look across the table to know the choking sound Leo made indicated that he’d dropped yet another forkful of dinner onto his shirt. He was sporting no less than three different stains by this point. Thankfully he was wearing black.</p><p>Sakura made a shy sound. “Does Prince Leo… need help?”</p><p>“Oh, no, Leo’s just messy like that,” Elise said breezily. She paused, thoughtful. “Although usually not this much. Are you feeling okay, Leo?”</p><p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Leo choked. He dabbed at his shirt with a napkin, cleaning up excess sauce, but his gaze was unsubtly turned towards the other end of the table when he answered.</p><p>No, Sakura had been right. Leo did need help. But just like Camilla, there was absolutely no saving him. Not from a disaster as unprecedented as this.</p><p>Selena’s voice carried, and although Camilla wasn’t listening to the words, the sound of it drew her attention. Her chest clenched when she caught sight of Selena’s bare neck once more. An undercut, as Laslow called it, was not very common in Nohr, but on Selena it looked so—</p><p>She looked—</p><p>Ever polite, none of the Hoshido royals commented when Camilla quickly knocked back the rest of her drink and asked for another.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Leo was going to kill both of his retainers, consequences be damned.</p><p>Niles’s breath tickled his ear. “See something you like?”</p><p>If Leo were a lesser person and Niles any less treasured as a friend, he would have had zero problems with ramming his elbow into Niles’s ribs right there, witnesses be damned.</p><p>That said, he was still sorely tempted.</p><p>“No,” Leo said firmly.</p><p>Niles’s knowing look did not waver.</p><p>“<em>No comments</em>,” Leo hissed.</p><p>Niles buried his smirk into the rim of his glass of water. “Of course, my lord.”</p><p>The sun had all but set. The temperature was no longer sweltering outside, but Leo could feel sweat dripping down the back of his collar nonetheless.</p><p>Damn Odin. When Leo had told him to take the afternoon to himself, he hadn’t expected… <em>this.</em></p><p><em>“Lord Leo!”</em> Odin had come running up to Leo a few minutes before dinner, clad in over eagerness and his typical disregard for propriety. He pushed his hand through the locks on top of his head, the ends of which had just barely started to subtly curl the way he claimed his mother’s hair naturally had. <em>“What do you think of my updated appearance? Is it striking</em> <em>enough? Befitting of a legendary figure such as myself? Lord Leo? Are you listening?”</em></p><p>Leo had quickly walked away in lieu of reply.</p><p>Odin’s normal hairstyle had looked fine, of course. Absolutely fine. And it had been short enough already, if perhaps in need of an all-around trim.</p><p>So why had he felt the need to sheer the sides of his head so <em>short </em>and almost cause Leo to swallow his damned tongue?</p><p>Over an hour had passed, and sadly Leo wasn’t any more immune.</p><p>“He does look rather good like this, doesn’t he?” Niles said lowly.</p><p>Leo bit the inside of his cheek. He harshly whispered, “What did I just say?”</p><p>“Something wrong?” Takumi asked from Leo’s left, his brow furrowed.</p><p>Niles disguised his laughter as a cough. Leo felt his cheeks warm.</p><p>“He’s fine, Takumi,” Hinoka said too loudly. Leo felt himself flush even further. “Leave him alone for now.”</p><p>“What?” Takumi frowned. “What’s the point of us eating together if we’re not even going to talk?”</p><p>Takumi sounded genuinely baffled, but a shake of Hinoka’s head and Corrin’s blessed coaxing convinced Takumi to rejoin his siblings in conversation, quickly forgetting Leo’s plight.</p><p>Gods, what was he doing? Leo was supposed to be better than this. Didn’t he pride himself on keeping a cool head, always? On using his words? Had he faced down countless battles, a secret kingdom, and a <em>dragon</em> to fall now? Because of a <em>haircut</em>?</p><p>Odin laughed, drawing Leo’s attention again, and Leo wondered if the fuzz on the freshly cut sides of his head would feel as soft as they looked.</p><p>Yes. He was absolutely going to fall to this.</p><p>As though he could read Leo’s mind, Niles chuckled low in his throat, just lough enough for Leo to hear.</p><p>Leo determinedly stabbed the fish on his plate with the fork that had helpfully been provided to him after a ten minute struggle with chopsticks and tried to focus on eating.</p><p>“If it makes you feel any better,” Niles whispered coolly, so close that his mouth practically tickled Leo’s earlobe, “I’m a little beside myself as well.”</p><p>Breath catching, Leo dropped the fifth piece of fish of the night on his lap.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Laslow said thoughtfully before they parted for their post-dinner duties. “You don’t think the others were acting a little strange this evening, do you?”</p><p>“Like who?” Selena asked. Odin paused at the intersection of corridors, also looking curious.</p><p>Laslow shrugged. “Lady Camilla and Lord Leo. They seemed awfully quiet at dinner, didn’t they?”</p><p>“I think I would have noticed if something was ailing Lord Leo,” Odin said confidently. “He is <em>my </em>lord, Laslow.”</p><p>“Yeah, seriously.” Selena crossed her arms. “I think we’d have noticed. And I thought you were too busy making goo-goo eyes at Lord Xander to notice anything else anyway.”</p><p>Laslow felt his face go pink. He quickly held up his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright! Obviously, I was mistaken.”</p><p>Selena rolled her eyes as Odin looked on, amused.</p><p>“Alright, let’s drop it,” Selena said. “We have things to do anyway.”</p><p>“Onward!” Odin said loudly before taking off down the hall. Selena shook her head but followed.</p><p>Laslow started to wander off towards Xander’s rooms, but watching Selena and Odin walk away caused a thought to cross his mind. He absently reached up and touched the ends of his hair.</p><p>He liked the length of it just fine, but the color…</p><p>Maybe it was time for something new.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>On the other side of the building, for no discernible reason whatsoever, Xander felt the urge to scold Laslow.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Somebody please get them some water because these fools are thirsty 😔</p><p>Feel free to leave a comment below or hit me up on my <a href="http://someobscurereference.tumblr.com/">tumblr!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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